Steering-gear.



H. G. CLAY.

n STEERING GEAR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2o. 1908.

904,407. l Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

' 1N: Nouns rrrlns ce., wAsumsraN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. CLAY, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA, VASSIGrNOB. TO REEVES t COMPANY, OFCOLUMBUS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

STEERING-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov'. 1'7, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. CLAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Gear, of

. which the following is a specification.

It has heretofore been customary, in traction engines, to providerubbing blocks, which are mounted on the shell of the boiler, to preventthe steering wheels from being swung around too far. Such aconstruction, under some circumstances, results in a bad buckling of theboiler sheets and the object of my present invention is to provide astructure wherein the steering gear itself is provided with membersadapted to engage the steering wheels when they are swung around farenough, and prevent their coming into engagement with the boiler shell.

The following drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front wheel system of a tractionengine, equipped with my improvement; Fig. 2 is a plan of the partsshown in Fig. 1 including also a conventionalized worm-shaft to whichthe steering chains are connected.

In the drawings, 1Q indicates a front axle pivoted upon a vertical pivot11 and supporting the pillow block 12 of the boiler 13. Journaled uponthe opposite ends of axle 10 are the steering wheels 14, 14. The axle 10is swung about its vertical pivot by means of chains 15, 15 which arepassed around a. suitable steering drum or shaft 16 and the forward endsof which are connected to eyes 17 carried by the axle 10. My improvementcomprises the mounting, at the proper point upon the chains 15, ofrubbing blocks 18, 18 each of which is adapted, when the axle 10 isswung toward it, to come into engagement with the rim of the adjacentwheel 14. In order to maintain the proper distance of the rubbing block18 from the center of the wheel, said block is carried by a yoke 19 theforward end of which is con` nected by suitable nuts with the block 18and the rear end of which engages eye 17, the yoke 19 being convenientlymade by doubling a rod upon itself to form a U-shaped member. Passingthrough block 18 are the arms 21 of a U-shaped member connected to orforming a part of chain 15 and the forward ends of the arms 21 areconnected to a sliding block 22, a compression spring 23 being placedbetween block 22 and the adjacent block 18, thus giving to the steeringgear a requisite amount of yield in the steering chains.

In operation, when the axle is swung to the position indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 2, or to the opposite position, the rim of a wheel will bebrought into engagement with the adjacent rubbing block 18 and preventedfrom passing any further under the boiler shell.

I claim as my invention l. In a steering gear, the combination, with aswinging axle and traction wheels carried thereby, of steering chainsattached to the. axle at opposite sides of the axis, and a rubbing blockcarried by each of. said chains in position to be engaged by thetraction wheel when the axle is sulficiently swung.

2. In a steering gear, the combination, with a swinging axle andtraction wheels carried thereby, of steering chains attached to the axleat opposite sides of the axis, a rubbing block carried by each of saidchains in position to be engaged by the traction wheel when the axle issufficiently swung, and a yieldable connection between the rubbing blockand the steering chain carrying the same.

3. In an apparatus of the class described. the combination with aswinging axle and traction wheels carried thcrel y, of a rubbing block18 pivotally connected to the axle, a sliding head 22 slidably connectedwith the rubbing block, a chain connected to said sliding head, and aspring arranged between the sliding head and the rubbing` block.

In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and sea-l at Columbus,Indiana, this iifth day of June, A. D. one thousand nine hundred andeight.

HARRY o. CLAY. u. 5.]

Witnesses:

PERRY KING, LA FAYETTE BRUCE.

